The Behavioural Science Institute at Radboud University in Nijmegen (Netherlands) is seeking 2 PhD candidates for an NRO-PROO interlinked research project called ‘The contributions of implicit attitudes and interpersonal proximity to a safe social climate in schools for socially excluded students.’
Most research on children’s social functioning in schools focuses on explicit attitudes and behaviour. The current research project is unique as it will also examine children’s implicit attitudes and automatic behaviour, such as non-verbal communication and physical distance. In this way, processes that are usually overlooked but impact peer relationships and social behaviour will be examined.

Project 1 will examine how children’s and teachers’ explicit and implicit attitudes about excluded students influence their behaviour toward these students. This project will also include a video-game intervention aimed at improving children’s implicit attitudes – and, as a result, also their automatic behaviour - towards excluded peers.

Project 2 will examine how children’s and teachers’ physical proximity to excluded students influence excluded students’ functioning. This project will also include a classroom seating intervention to facilitate a supportive network for excluded children.

Your tasks will include setting up the research, preparing the interventions, recruiting schools, testing children and youth, analysing the data, and writing scientific articles and a dissertation in English. In addition to the design and questions described in the project proposal, there is room to include additional measures and address additional research questions.

• you have an academic degree in psychology, pedagogical science, educational science, or a related field in the behavioural sciences. A Research Master’s diploma is a plus;
• you are independent, flexible and proactive;
• you enjoy challenges;
• you have experience working with children, teachers and/or parents;
• you have excellent organisational and social skills;
• you have a sharp analytical mind and good statistical skills;
• you should be fluent in spoken and written Dutch (native or near-native speaker) as recruitment and data collection will take place in Dutch schools. Interacting with Dutch children, teachers, parents is an important part of the project;
• you have excellent English writing skills.

• employment: 0.8 - 1.0 FTE
• the gross starting salary amounts to €2,325 per month on a full-time basis, and will increase to €2,972 in the fourth year (P scale)
• in addition to the salary: an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• you will be appointed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years
• as part of the contract, you will participate in teaching for approximately 10% of your work time
• university job profile: PhD Candidate
• you will be able to make use of our Dual Career Service where our Dual Career Officer will assist with family related support, such as child care, and help your partner prepare for the local labour market and with finding an occupation

 
Intended start date is 2 September 2019.

Are you interested in our excellent employment conditions?

Faculty of Social Sciences
You will be working in the Social Development programme of the Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) at Radboud University. The projects will be supervised by Dr Tessa Lansu, Dr Yvonne van den Berg and Prof. Toon Cillessen, in close collaboration with Prof. Jan van Tartwijk of the ‘Raising future generations’ programme at the Department of Education and Pedagogics of Utrecht University. The Social Development programme conducts fundamental research with practical implications on social development across the life span.

The Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Radboud University. The BSI is a multidisciplinary behavioural research institute. Our researchers collaborate across the boundaries of psychology, educational science, and communication science. The BSI has seven research programmes covering three major research themes: 1) development and learning, 2) psychopathology, health and well-being, and 3) social processes and communication. Fundamental research as well as applied/translational research is being conducted. For more information, please visit our website.

The BSI has state-of-the-art research facilities for observational studies, experiments, eye-tracking studies, EEG and other physiological measures, and behavioural measurements in real and 3D virtual environments. The neuroimaging facilities of the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging (fMRI, MEG and TMS) are available for research on the neural bases of behaviour.

Radboud University is one of the leading academic communities in the Netherlands. Strategically located in Europe, it is a place with a personal touch, where top-flight education and research take place on a beautiful green campus, in modern buildings with state-of-the-art facilities.
 
Further information on Behavioural Science Institut
Further information on Social Development, Mission statement
Further information on Peer Relations Lab Group